We’re pleased to announce that Lyman Orton, founder of Community Heart & Soul, has hired Mark Sherman as our new Executive Director. Sherman will lead the organization in its strategy to bring their award-winning program from ninety small cities and towns to over five hundred.
Sherman grew up in South Burlington, VT, and attended local schools, including UVM, before moving to Seattle where he earned his MBA at the University of Washington. Following graduate school, he held leadership positions at Visio (Microsoft) and Casey Family Programs, a large operating foundation.
In 2010, Sherman and his wife, Linda Wackerman, also from Vermont, returned to their home state. After leading marketing at a solar monitoring startup, Sherman began consulting for nonprofit organizations, both funders and grantees, helping them develop more impactful communications and programs through a deeper understanding of the stakeholders and domains they serve.
When Sherman saw the ad for the Executive Director position with Community Heart & Soul, he investigated the opportunity and knew it would be a perfect fit.
I have always believed in the wisdom of engaging residents, which is a central tenet of the Community Heart & Soul process”, said Sherman. “As reflected in its mission, Community Heart & Soul actively seeks the collective wisdom of all residents, creates a shared sense of belonging, improves local decision-making, and ultimately strengthens the social, cultural, and economic vibrancy of small cities and towns.”
“Helping residents identify what matters most in their communities pays huge dividends”, said Sherman. “The process creates a great deal of goodwill among residents, who appreciate having their voices heard, and produces actionable plans that strengthen the social and economic fabric of their communities. As a result, residents have more reasons to stay or relocate to small cities and towns. I could not be happier than to be leading the expansion of this wonderful program.”
